Projects

MD 210 Mitigation Site Search

Reference

Barbara Allera-Bohlen 410-545-8633

Maryland State Highway Administration

Project Highlights

Stream Restoration Site Search

Wetland Mitigation Site Search

Project Details

The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) conducted a study of this 10-mile long segment of MD 210 to identify design changes that would address safety issues and increasingly severe and frequent traffic congestion. CRI’s design and mitigation approach was environmentally sensitive, while promoting aesthetic quality, community cohesiveness, multi-modal accessibility and pedestrian/bicycle mobility.

CRI undertook a mitigation site search in the Piscataway and Henson Creek watersheds in Prince George’s County to locate potential wetland and stream restoration sites to mitigate the impacts. The mitigation site search included reviewing existing documentation, surveying resource maps and performing field investigations of potentially suitable sites.

Stream Restoration Sites

CRI identified fifty-eight (58) initial sites which we screened through office and field evaluations. Upon completion of the initial evaluation, CRI recommend sixteen (16) sites for additional investigation and review by the regulatory agencies. The sixteen (16) identified sites were grouped into five (5) geographically proximal projects that each independently satisfied the maximum anticipated mitigation requirements. The total project length of the sixteen (16) sites combined was approximately 64,000 linear feet. All recommended sites are located in either the Piscataway Creek or Henson Creek watersheds.

CRI prepared field data sheets, site photos and GIS location maps for the recommended sites.

Wetland Mitigation Site

CRI identified twenty-five (25) sites during the initial phases of the mitigation site search using desktop reference information. Twenty-one (21) of these sites were located in the Piscataway Creek watershed and four (4) sites were in the Henson/Broad Creek watershed.

We then conducted a preliminary field investigation of each site to verify reference data and collect additional information on potential suitability for wetland mitigation. Thirteen (13) properties warranted additional on-site characterization to evaluate the feasibility for wetland creation. Property owners were contacted to gain access to each site, and CRI conducted on-site investigations.

Upon completion of on-site investigations, CRI recommended six (6) sites for review by the regulatory and resource agencies.

Conclusion

The Parker Farm was chosen as the most favorable wetland mitigation site. A majority of the site lies within the floodplain of Piscataway Creek and is used for production of row crops.

The SHA proposed the restoration of Tinkers Creek along the Potomac Airfield as mitigation for the proposed stream impacts.

Projects

Click on any of the following projects for more detailed information about CRI’s experience.